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2018 SGFA Shield
The 2018 SGEnergy Shield Match was the 27th edition of the SGFA Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's League A and SGFA Cup competitions. It was played on September 16, 2018, at the National Cricket Ground in Warner Bay between Bonneville United, the champions of the 2017-18 League A season, and Helena United, the winners of the 2018 SGFA Cup Final. Bonneville United won the match 3-2 with first-half goals by Pierrick Miechamp and Andrés Guzmán, and a second-half goal from Austin Cadengo, who was making his debut for the club. Sacha Kergoat and Christian McCartney scored for Helena United. Miechamp was named man of the match. Background Bonneville United were appearing in the SGFA Shield for a record 17th time, returning after a year's absence; they last appeared in the Shield in the 2016 match, losing 3-1 to FC Chapman. They were attempting to win their 9th Shield and their first since 2014, when they defeated Chapman 2-0. Helena United, whose 2017-18 SGFA Cup title was their first major trophy, were appearing in the Shield for the first time. It was the first time in 17 years that the city of Helena Point had been represented in the Shield; United's cross-town rivals, Rangers, were defeated 3-1 by Chapman in the 2001 match. The teams met on the final day of the 2017-18 League A season, on May 19, 2018. The match finished 0-0 at Bonneville United's Ford Stadium; no league placings were on the line in that game as Bonneville United had already clinched the championship and Helena United had secured third place the previous week. The match was moved back from the fourth weekend in September to the third, to accommodate an earlier start to the 2018-19 season. The match also kicked off at 7:30pm AST, an hour later than the previous year, to offset the hot temperatures in St. Gregory in September (field temperature for the 2017 Shield match was reported as 87°F at kick-off). Match summary Chilton Shea of Warner Bay was selected to referee the match. It was Shea's first time officiating an SGFA Shield match, in just his second year as a professional referee. Scattered showers fell across northern St. Gregory for parts of the afternoon and evening, however the later kick-off time made for a more pleasant 77°F at the start of the match. Helena United started the brighter of the two sides, with forwards Jason Crane-Carson and Christian McCartney each having shots turned aside by Bonneville United goalkeeper Brendan Egan in the opening 15 minutes. Les Bleus weathered the storm, however, and took control in the latter portion of the second half. Just after the half hour mark, Pierrick Miechamp sprung the Tigers' offside trap and slid the ball under goalkeeper Brett Gooden to open the scoring. With two minutes until half-time, Andrés Guzmán doubled Bonneville United's lead, diving to head home a corner that had been deflected by teammate Will Hoffman. Shortly after the break, Helena United thought they had one back when McCartney fired David Arias' cross into the net, but the striker was ruled offside. Midway through the second half, Bonneville United brought new signing Austin Cadengo on for his club debut, replacing Jonathan Neal. Less than ten minutes after his introduction, Cadengo was on the receiving end of a gift cross after Guzmán had broken away on a counter attack. Cadengo's tap-in put Bonneville United three goals up, but just five minutes later they were a man down when Froilan Richardson hauled down McCartney, denying a goalscoring opportunity in the process. Richardson was sent off by referee Shea, reducing the League A champions to ten men for the final ten minutes; Richardson's red card was the only card of either color issued by Shea all game. In the final five minutes, Helena United substitute Sacha Kergoat scored a goal and assisted on another for McCartney to bring the Tigers back within a goal, but former Bonneville United winger Jordan Soto scuffed his shot straight to Egan with his side's final opportunity, and Les Bleus held on for their ninth Shield title. With a goal and an assist, Miechamp was named man of the match. Match details Guzmán Cadengo |goals2 = Kergoat McCartney |stadium = National Cricket Ground, Warner Bay|time = 19:30 AST|referee = Chilton Shea|attendance = 28,743}} Category:Match pages Category:Bonneville United F.C. matches Category:Helena United F.C. matches Category:2018-19 in Gregorian football